(2018-08-17). Access for All in Activism and Organizing. indybay.org San Jose Peace and Justice Center | 48 South 7th St, San Jose, California 95112…
(2018-08-17). Colombia: FARC Demands Meeting With Duque Over Peace Accords. telesurtv.net Revolutionary Alternative Force for the Commons (FARC) Senator Carlos Antonio Lozada said the group is still waiting for a meeting with the new government.
(2018-08-17). Unite for Justice: #StopKavanaugh Protest in San Jose. indybay.org San Jose/Santa Clara border: sidewalk protest @ intersection of Winchester Blvd. & Stevens Creek Blvd. (nick name: Peace Corner) in front of the Santa Row shopping center.
(2018-08-17). She is a Progressive and Could be the First Native American Woman in Congress. therealnews.com 
Deb Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo Woman won the primary in the NM First Congressional District. She could be the first Native American woman elected to Congress
(2018-08-17). Haiti Waits as Parliament Debates Prime Ministerial Nominee. telesurtv.net
(2018-08-17). Parti Quebecois makes "left" feint in hopes of averting electoral disaster. wsws.org With Quebec's provincial election just weeks away, opinion polls continue to show the big business, pro-independence PQ facing an unprecedented electoral debacle.
(2018-08-17). Australia: Transport union cancels Victorian bus drivers strike. wsws.org The TWU's suppression of the stoppage was the outcome of a sordid back-room conspiracy, involving the union, the companies and the Victorian state Labor government.
(2018-08-16). "I'm Bringing My Bullhorn to Congress": Rashida Tlaib Poised to Become First Muslim Congresswoman. democracynow.org 
Detroit Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib is poised to become the first Palestinian-American woman and first Muslim woman to serve in Congress, after winning the Democratic primary for John Conyers's old House seat in Michigan last week. Tlaib is a Democratic Socialist who supports the Palestinian right of return and a one-state solution, Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage and abolishing ICE. The child of immigrants, she has spoken out against the Trump administration's travel bans. We speak with Rashida Tlaib about her historic victory and her plans for Congress.
(2018-08-16). Rashida Tlaib, Muslim Democratic Socialist, Appears Headed to Washington. truthout.org Detroit Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib is poised to become the first Palestinian-American woman and first Muslim woman to serve in Congress, after winning the Democratic primary for John Conyers's old House seat in Michigan last week. Tlaib is a Democratic Socialist who supports the Palestinian right of return and a one-state solution, Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage and abolishing ICE. The child of immigrants, she has spoken out against the Trump administration's travel bans. We speak with Rashida Tlaib about her historic victory and her plans for Congress. | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. | NERMEEN SHAIKH: We turn now to a congressional candidate in Michigan who's poised become the first Palestinian-American woman and first Muslim woman to serve in Congress. Rashida Tlaib is…
(2018-08-16). Women of Color Are Making History Ahead of Midterms. truthdig.com It has been a banner year for women running in elections across the country in statehouse, gubernatorial and congressional races. But women of color, who have been so dramatically underrepresented in the halls of power for so long, are making particularly significant gains. What's even more exciting is that many of them are going beyond standard identity politics and espousing strongly progressive positions. While the more important battles will come in November's general elections, the primary races have already indicated that we are witnessing a game-changing moment in the nation's political landscape. | Much has been written about the breakout star of the New York primary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who stunned the nation in an overwhelming victory against top Democrat Joe Crowley in the Bronx and Queens for a House seat. The 28-year-old self-identified democratic socialist of Puerto Rican heritage, who is expected to…
(2018-08-16). UN Report Finds ISIS Given "Breathing Space" in US-Occupied Areas of Syria. mintpressnews.com 
By maintaining an ISIS pocket in the territory it occupies, the U.S. can continue to justify its illegal presence in the country for the long-term, ultimately substituting Iran for ISIS as its new regional boogeyman.
(2018-08-16). Krà§henbàºhl: UNRWA School Year to Begin as Scheduled. imemc.org At an extraordinary session of the UNRWA Advisory Commission, in Amman today, the Commissioner-General, Pierre Krà§henbàºhl announced that the school-year for 526'000 Palestine refugee girls and boys will open on time in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. According to the PNN, Krà§henbàºhl emphasized that […]…
(2018-08-16). Why Parkland Students, Not Trump, Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. counterpunch.org 
Many people were quick to award President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize for his photo-op with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in June. Now it is evident that, at best, he merely deserves a participation trophy. Instead, the next Nobel Prize should be awarded to the Parkland students. While it's a positive thing that More
(2018-08-16). Abbas Firm on Rejection of US 'Peace Deal'. imemc.org Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday rejected the U.S. political plan referred to as "Deal of the Century".
(2018-08-16). Barack and Michelle Obama Pen Moving Tribute to Aretha Franklin As Trump Bizarrely Claims She 'Worked' for Him. alternet.org 
"May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. " | Barack and Michelle Obama on Thursday released a moving statement about the death of Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul" who performed at the former president's first inauguration, and brought him to tears during the 2015 Kennedy Center honors. "America has no royalty," the Obamas wrote. "But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring. "Noting Franklin was born and raised in Detroit as the daughter of a Baptist. . .
(2018-08-16). DNC Reverses Ban on Accepting Fossil Fuel Industry Money. therealnews.com 
DNC Chair Tom Perez reversed an agreement to ban accepting money from the fossil fuel industry that created a firestorm of protests, we speak with Janet Redman, climate change director at Green Peace
(2018-08-16). Google Staff Tell Bosses China Censorship is "Moral and Ethical" Crisis. theintercept.com Google employees are demanding answers from the company's leadership amid growing internal protests over plans to launch a censored search engine in China. | Staff inside the internet giant's offices have agreed that the censorship project raises "urgent moral and ethical issues" and have circulated a letter saying so, calling on bosses to disclose more about the company's work in China, which they say is shrouded in too much secrecy, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter. | The internal furor began after The Intercept earlier this month revealed details about the censored search engine, which would remove content that China's authoritarian government views as sensitive, such as information about political dissidents, free speech, democracy, human rights, and peaceful protest. It would "blacklist sensitive queries" so that "no results will be shown" at all when people enter certain words or…
(2018-08-16). Victory offers Muslim candidate new platform to oppose Trump. peoplesworld.org 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Donald Trump, meet Ilhan Omar. Just two years ago, the Minnesota Democrat became the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature. Now she's likely to become one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. And she says one of her top priorities will be r…
(2018-08-16). Here's How Democrats Can Defeat Trump — by Pledging to Fulfill One of His Biggest Broken Promises. alternet.org 
This could be a winning issue in the midterms. | While commentators chastise congressional Democrats for lacking a cogent message for midterm voters, does the opposition really need to say much more than "to hell with Trump"? If so, they can start hammering a theme that will unite the party base, attract wavering supporters and blister the hide off this president for a monumental broken promise. The killer issue is perfectly obvious: infrast. . .
(2018-08-16). Warren Unveils Plan to Give Workers More Control Over Corporate Decisions. truthout.org Taking aim at the heart of America's toxic economic status quo — which has over the past several decades produced soaring corporate profits and CEO pay while keeping workers' wages stagnant — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would "give workers a stronger voice" in the decision-making of major businesses and put an end to corporations' single-minded commitment to maximizing shareholder value at the expense of employees. | "Because the wealthiest 10 percent of US households own 84 percent of American-held shares, the obsession with maximizing shareholder returns effectively means America's biggest companies have dedicated themselves to making the rich even richer," Warren noted in a Wall Street Journal op-ed outlining her new measure. "For the past 30 years we have put the American stamp of approval on giant corporations, even as they have ignored the interests…
(2018-08-16). History Professor Destroys GOP Senate Candidate's Racist Myths About Robert E. Lee and the Civil War. alternet.org 
Chris McDaniel tried to whitewash the cause of Robert E. Lee. An Iowa professor resoundingly schooled him. | Among the numerous white supremacists running for higher office this year is Chris McDaniel, who is challenging Mississippi Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in the special election for Thad Cochran's old seat. McDaniel, an attorney, talk show. . .
(2018-08-16). This Is the GOP's Secret Plan to Use Trump's Impeachment to Keep the White House: Report. alternet.org 
"Well-respected thinkers believe that the more extreme the Democrats go, the more middle of the road voters will gravitate to Trump. " | In interviews with Politico, an assortment of Republicans admit they are willing to concede the House to the Democrats in the 2018 midterms based on the belief that a move to impeach President. . .
(2018-08-16). Former Chief White House Ethics Lawyer: If Trump Forces Mueller Into a Subpoena Fight, He Will Lose. alternet.org 
Trump's allies frequently complain how long the Mueller investigation is taking. Norm Eisen explains a simple way Trump could speed it up. | An ongoing complaint Republicans have about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation is that it is supposedly taking too long and he should " wrap it up. "To be clear, Mueller's investigation has not lasted nearly. . .
(2018-08-16). Shed Not a Tear for War Criminal John Brennan, Say Legal Experts. mintpressnews.com While Democratic senators, corporate talking heads, former national security officials, and Twitter pundits issued dire proclamations about the " dangerous precedent" President Donald Trump set on Wednesday by revoking former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance for obviously vindictive and political reasons, critics of America's far-too-powerful intelligence apparatus were quick to express how little sympathy they feel for Brennan, given his utterly horrendous track record of defending torture and masterminding the Obama administration's deadly drone program. | "John Brennan is being punished by not being able to find out who got droned yesterday, I hope he's ok," joked Splinter's Libby Watson. | john brennan is being punished by not being able to find out who got droned yesterday, i hope he's ok t.co/wD2Y2TFqWp | — libby watson (@libbycwatson) August 15, 2018 | But while well-established critics of…
(2018-08-16). The Democratic Insurgency Is Winning the War of Ideas. thenation.com The Democratic Insurgency Is Winning the War of Ideas appeared first on The Nation.
(2018-08-16). Catholic Church Cover-up: 300 Priests Sexually Abused 1,000 Children in Pennsylvania. democracynow.org 
In Pennsylvania, a grand jury report has revealed that more than 300 Catholic priests sexually abused 1,000 children, and possibly thousands more, over seven decades, and that church leadership covered up the abuse. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro described harrowing accounts of priests raping young girls and boys, including one priest who raped a young girl in the hospital after she had her tonsils out. Another priest impregnated a young girl and then arranged for her to have an abortion. The report reveals that the church orchestrated a massive, systematic cover-up to conceal the abuse, i…
(2018-08-16). Is Louisville Ground Zero in the Fight for Democratic Control of Public Schools? progressive.org The takeover of Jefferson County Public Schools is not a contest between 'red vs. blue,' but of whether democracy matters at all.
(2018-08-16). "This Church Is a Criminal Enterprise": Former Priest & Survivor Speak Out on PA Catholic Sex Abuse. democracynow.org 
A shocking new Pennsylvania grand jury report has revealed that more than 300 Catholic priests sexually abused 1,000 children, and possibly thousands more, over a span of seven decades. The church leadership covered up the abuse, lying to communities, transferring predator priests rather than firing them, and locking abuse complaints away in what the church called a "secret archive." For more, we speak with Shaun Dougherty, a survivor of sexual abuse by a Pennsylvania priest. His story was included in Tuesday's grand jury report. He was molested by a priest from the Altoona-Johnstown diocese in Pennsylvania for t…
(2018-08-16). There's a Science to Successfully Talking to Trump Supporters — Here's How. alternet.org 
If humans were completely rational agents, our beliefs and political attitudes would be based on reasoning grounded in evidence and logic—but unfortunately that's not the case. | It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or something else—if you are a reasonable person then you must be wondering what the hell hardcore Trump supporters are thinking right now. From wearing (2018-08-16). A Democratic Contender for Florida Governor Appears to Own Millions in Puerto Rican Debt. theintercept.com A financial disclosure form for Jeff Greene, a billionaire real estate developer, reveals that Greene may own $27 million of Puerto Rico's debt.
(2018-08-16). Kris Kobach, Trump's Top Vote Suppressor, Wins Kansas Primary. therealnews.com 
Kris Kobach is the frontrunner to become the next governor of Kansas after winning the Republican primary. And even though Kobach's vote suppression efforts have faced legal setbacks, Trump's stacking of the Supreme Court may soon hand him another victory, says investigative journalist Greg Palast
(2018-08-16). For Italy, Trump Represents a 'Populist' Opportunity. consortiumnews.com The new Italian government is taking comfort in some of Trump's positions, especially on migration, trade and Russia, says Andrew Spannaus. By Andrew Spannaus in Milan Special to Consortium News During the 2016 United States election campaign, most of Italy's… Read more →
(2018-08-16). In Rush to Retweet Trump, Treasury Department May Have Violated the Law. truthout.org The Department of Treasury may be in trouble after its official Twitter account retweeted a campaign message posted by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. | "Great Republican election results last night. So far we have the team we want. 8 for 9 in Special Elections. Red Wave!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday night. | August 15, 2018 | Shortly after the tweet was published for the public, CNBC reported, it was retweeted by the Treasury Department's official account, an act that could have placed the department in violation of Hatch Act rules that prohibit the use of government platforms for raw politicking. | According to a document by the Office of Special Counsel, federal employees may not at any time "like, share, or retweet a post that solicits political contributions, including invitations to fundraising events," "post or tweet a message…
(2018-08-16). Nicaragua: The Evolution of the Government of President Daniel Ortega Since 2007. counterpunch.org In order to win the presidential election of November 2006, Daniel Ortega succeeded in making his election acceptable to the ruling classes, and in particular to the COSEP (Superior Council for Private Enterprise), the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, represented by Cardinal Obando y Bravo, former presidents Arnoldo Alemán and Enrique Bolaños, and the More
(2018-08-16). Janus, labor's fightback and 2018 elections Webinar, Sun., August 19. peoplesworld.org 
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(2018-08-16). We Will Resist Trump's Authoritarian War on the Media. truthout.org President Donald Trump is a liar. Trump lies so much that journalists have debated what to call his lies. (Is a lie still a lie if the liar believes it to be true on some level?) | Liars like Trump fear the news media because they know that hard facts and dissenting voices can slowly destroy them and their narratives about the world. Trump's increasingly wild attacks on the media and his branding of news coverage he dislikes as "fake" constitute a transparent attempt to protect his lie-fueled authoritarian power grab by intentionally blurring the facts. | At a rally during Trump's campaign, "alt-right" Trump supporters were recorded shouting the anti-media slur "Làºgenpresse" (lying press) first popularized by the Nazi regime, an early sign that Trump's attempts to delegitimize the media had a fascist resonance. | Both Trump's falsehoods and…
(2018-08-16). Brett Kavanaugh Opponents Are Raising Money for Sen. Susan Collins's 2020 Opponent — but Will Refund It If She Votes "No" theintercept.com Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is one of two Republican senators who may be "no" votes on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
(2018-08-16). Here Are 5 of the Worst Scandals Showing the Cruelty and Corruption of the Trump Era. alternet.org 
Each day reveals new stunning behavior from the White House and the president himself. | Republican Charles J. Sykes, author of How the Right Lost Its Mind and one of President Donald Trump's vocal critics on the right, recently described the Trump era as one of " corruption and cruelty" — summing it up perfectly. There has been no shortage of cruelty under Trump's presidency, f. . .
(2018-08-16). Trump's Military 'Parade' to Cost Almost $100 Million: US Department of Defense. alternet.org 
The figure includes $50 million from the Pentagon and $42 million from interagency partners. | In order to feel a little more adequate, Donald Trump's planned military parade needs to be bigly. Like really, really bigly. After early promises of keeping the costs of this fascistic display below $15 mill. . .
(2018-08-16). Headlines for August 16, 2018. democracynow.org Violence Roils Afghanistan as Taliban Cracks Down on Red Cross, Trump Revokes Security Clearance of Ex-CIA Director, a Major Critic, Security Clearance Flap Comes Amid Mounting White House Scandals, Trump's Lawyer Prepared to "Unload" on Mueller "Like a Ton of Bricks", Hundreds of Media Outlets Condemn Trump's Attacks on the Free Press, Turkish Court Releases Jailed Amnesty International Chair, Brazil: Lula Registers from Prison as Presidential Candidate, Malta Allows Migrant Ship to Dock After 5 Days Stranded at Sea, ACLU Says ICE "Trapped" Immigrant Spouses at Green Card Interviews, CDC Says Record 72,000 Ameri…
(2018-08-16). Opposition mounts to UPS-Teamsters conspiracy as union announces contract for airline mechanics. wsws.org There is growing support for the WSWS UPS Workers Newsletter's call for the election of rank-and-file committees in every warehouse and hub to coordinate opposition.
(2018-08-16). After clearance pull, Democrats rush to back Brennan — who spied on them. rt.com 
Democrats have been vocal in condemning US President Donald Trump for revoking former CIA chief John Brennan's security clearance, forgetting that time he spied on a Democrat-run Senate committee in the name of #Resistance. |
(2018-08-15). Assad In A Secret Message To Putin: Israel Has Exhausted Our Patience And Iran Will Stay In Syria As Long As Needed. iranian.com The Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has communicated to the Russian leadership that "Israel has exhausted our patience" … "Israeli jets will be a legitimate target for our defense systems if Tel Aviv doesn't cease its provocation and stop targeting our military positions and jets". According to decision-makers, "Assad has no intention of asking Iran and […]
(2018-08-15). Russiagate and the Men with Glass Eyes. counterpunch.org The Democrats want Trump out because, still smiting from the embarrassment of their world-historical loss to the buffoon they hand-picked for an opponent, they are desperate to regain power. The effort is led by members of Congress Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Dianne Feinstein, Elijah Cummings, Jerrold Nadler, and others. They've cleverly aligned themselves outright with the intelligence and military community because they know the latter is likewise desperate to maintain the trajectory of American hegemony that has been in place since the end of World War Two. (2018-08-15). Headlines for August 15, 2018. democracynow.org Pennsylvania Priests Abused 1,000 Children and Covered Up the Abuse, Christine Hallquist Becomes First Transgender Major-Party Gubernatorial Nominee, In Minnesota, Ilhan Omar Is Poised to Be First Somali American Elected to Congress, Keith Ellison Wins Democratic Primary for Minnesota Attorney General, Jahana Hayes Poised to Be Connecticut's First Black Woman in Congress, Kansas: Jeff Colyer Concedes to Kris Kobach in Republican Primary for Governor, In Sexist & Racist Attack, Trump Calls Omarosa "Crazed" and a "Dog", Italy: 39 Killed in Bridge Collapse in Genoa, Yemen: 13 Reportedly Killed by Airstrikes in Hodei…
(2018-08-15). Are We Governed by Secondary Psychopaths. counterpunch.org 
On a given morning a member of Congress might present a public face of compassion as she sincerely scolds public officials who kidnap refugee children from their parents. Then, in the afternoon, she votes for U.S. military policies that terminally (as in dead) separate other children from their parents in Palestine, Afghanistan or Yemen. More
(2018-08-15). Progressives, unionists, and transgender woman win in Dem primaries. peoplesworld.org 
WATERBURY, Conn.—A past National Teacher Of The Year, union member Jahanna Hayes, may be coming to Congress from Connecticut this fall. And Vermont Democrats made history by nominating a transgender person, Christine Hallquist, for governor. | Their wins were among the more-notable results as voters in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Vermont went to the polls on August 14 — a day when four out of the seven union members running for top state and national offices won their party's nod. And the three others finished second. | Hayes, a social studies teacher from Waterbury, Conn., led the way and may have the easiest path in November. The 5th Congressional District, which also includes New Britain, Danbury and northwestern Connecticut rural towns, leans Democratic. Hayes is a member of the Connecticut Education Association, the state affiliate of the National Education Association, the nation's largest…
(2018-08-15). Race and Class Struggle Sharpening as Insurgent Democrats and Trump Supporters Win Tuesday's Primaries. therealnews.com 
Non traditional Democrats are winning and changing the electoral world while Trumpian are pushing Republicans to the edge. What is the political future?
(2018-08-15). Tuesday's Primary Sets up Trumpism Versus Progressivism in Fall Elections. progressive.org In the Midwest and across the country, the November election will test the Democrats' messages of civility and progress against an entrenched Republican Party that has now fully embraced Donald Trump.
(2018-08-15). RIP To The Liberal Order. iranian.com The June 12 summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was a historic moment—for the first time a sitting US president met with the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), or North Korea, since its founding in 1948. It was remarkable to see the Stars and Stripes standing next to the […]